WASHINGTON — A Senate panel on Thursday advanced Janet Yellen's nomination to lead the Federal Reserve, setting up a final vote in the full Senate after lawmakers return from a two-week Thanksgiving break.

Yellen's path to confirmation also became easier on Thursday when the full Senate voted to change its rules for approving all presidential nominees other than Supreme Court selections. Now a simple majority will be required, instead of 60 votes.

Yellen was nominated by President Barack Obama in October to succeed Ben Bernanke, whose second four-year term as chairman will end Jan. 31.

She would be the first woman to lead the Fed.

WASHINGTON — U.S. wholesale prices fell in October for the second straight month, driven down again by cheaper gasoline costs.The Labor Department said Thursday that the producer price index, which measures prices before they reach the consumer, dropped 0.2 percent in October. That followed a 0.1 percent decline in September. The cost of gas plunged 3.8 percent last month, lowering the index.Over the past 12 months, prices have increased just 0.3 percent.

DETROIT — The U.S. government expects to sell the last of its stake in General Motors by the end of the year, bringing an end to a sad chapter in the 105-year-old auto giant’s history.The Treasury Department said Thursday that it still owns 31.1 million shares of the auto giant, less than 2 percent. It plans to sell them by Dec. 31, as long as the price holds up.The government received 912 million shares in exchange for a $49.5 billion bailout during the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. So far it has recovered $38.4 billion of the money, but selling the remaining shares at Wednesday’s $37.69 closing price would get $1.17 billion, leaving taxpayers short by roughly $10 billion.The government says the bailouts of GM and Chrysler were needed five years ago to save the American auto industry.